Rebuilt 2L TE Blowing out Grey Black Smoke

[PostmanNB]

My mechanic finished the rebuilt of my 2L TE diesel engine, but it is poring out grey black smoke out of it exaust. Any ideas?

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Run it for a while, run it up to temperature... carefully. The smoke could be residual stuff in the exhaust system.

The pump will self-time as long at the marks on the pump are lined up with the marks casing on the engine.


~John

 

[PostmanNB]

Run it for a while, run it up to temperature... carefully. The smoke could be residual stuff in the exhaust system.

The pump will self-time as long at the marks on the pump are lined up with the marks casing on the engine.


~John

Dropped off at his shop this afternoon, he had it outside running for 3/4 of an hour and still smoked.

 

[roscoFJ73]

Does it start and run smoothly ,or does it cough and splutter for a while?

To what extent did the rebuild go?

 

[PostmanNB]

Does it start and run smoothly ,or does it cough and splutter for a while?

To what extent did the rebuild go?

As far as I know it is running smoothly, it had problems starting because of a bad connector, the mechanic was able to ifx the wiring and got it going but it is giving of grey\black smoke. It ran for 3/4 hr and did not clear up. My mechanic describes it as unburnt fuel.

The previous owner had rebuilt the engine and replaced the head with a 3L, high volume water pump and new pistons.

After I had it for a month the bottom end went on it and I brought it in to get repaired. The crankshaft was replaced as well a a connecting rod, new rings and bearing, timing belt, oil pump, gaskets and replaced all the glow plugs.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

This sounds like a timing issue.

There are all kinds of other reasons for smoke - other than the smoke, how is the power and response of the engine?

~John

 

[PostmanNB]

I have been checking the Austalian Surf owners site and it was suggested to blocking the 3 vac hoses to butterfly has reduced smoke 90% .
Does anyone have experience doing this and will it work?

 

[vinny tetravino]

I just rebuilt a 2lte for a client and am having the same issues I will give the vac line thing a try

 

[PostmanNB]

Was at my mechanic this afternoon, he found one of the injectors was bad and replaced it, but it still blew grey/black smoke

 

[PostmanNB]

This sounds like a timing issue.

There are all kinds of other reasons for smoke - other than the smoke, how is the power and response of the engine?

~John

The engine runs smooth, just lots of grey black smoke

 

[Radd Cruisers]

I have one coming in next week with the exact same problem. I have been over these engines before with little success in solving these issues. Others have not had any more success than me...

Check the air and fuel filters first.

Then check the valve adjustment - needs to be done cold. 8 - 12 thou intake, 16 - 20 thou exhaust.

The injection pump does not get timed on these, as it is supposed to be automatic. Make sure the marks on the pump body and the engine casing line up.

Check that all the grounds on the engine and battery / firewall etc. are in good shape.

Make sure that all of the vacuum hoses are in good shape and hooked up properly.

Use a lab scope and check the operation of the MAP sensor.

Did the correct thickness of head gasket get used (it needs to be measured via piston protrusion).


~John

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Did the correct thickness of head gasket get used (it needs to be measured via piston protrusion).


~John

It looks like PostmanNB has had the head off and the head gasket was an F grade and he needed a B grade (F=thickest, B=thinnest).

Waiting to hear what comes of it so bumping this thread up.

~John

 

[roscoFJ73]

I thought a lot of people put the thickest type on just to be sure.
I would not have thought the compression would be affected by a few thou if thats whats being suggested.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

I thought a lot of people put the thickest type on just to be sure.
I would not have thought the compression would be affected by a few thou if thats whats being suggested.

The F grade head gasket is the default one... but why would Toyota go to the trouble of making 4 sizes (factory) and 3 sizes for repairs if it wasn't an issue.

I've seen too many smoking LJ78s to not think there is something to this theory.

~John

 

[roscoFJ73]

The F grade head gasket is the default one... but why would Toyota go to the trouble of making 4 sizes (factory) and 3 sizes for repairs if it wasn't an issue.

I've seen too many smoking LJ78s to not think there is something to this theory.

~John

Diesels run on a broad range of compression ratios and the psi from max to min is also much more than the thickness a head gasket could cause.
Toyota have an interest in making sure a new or repaired engine can attain the same output specs as a new engine and obviously an engine will need a thicker gasket to maintain clearance if the head or block has been planed.

I see dozens of 2L and 3L as well as few 2LT on a daily basis and I cant recall seeing one smoking badly recently

Rereading the original post brings back the point the engine was rebuilt and the bottom end blew up. Im not sure if they are using the pistons and rings from the rebuild or if the engine was rebored.
Either way it calls into question the competance of the person that did the 1st rebuild and the extent of the rebuild.
If they just stuck new pistons and rings in with no rebore,that could be the problem.

Or maybe the timing belt is out one tooth.

I think there are just too many factors to make an informed opinion without seeing the engine.
I would be sticking a compression gauge on it to eliminate that bogey

.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

The smoking issue is very common with these engines - being the 2LT-E version. The smoke is incomplete combustion of diesel, from what I can tell. It is there when cold, and not so bad when hot.

I can tell you lots about these little nightmare engines and what is NOT causing the smoking issues as I have spent dozens of hours trying to nail it down. I can't really tell you what exactly is causing it, because with the electronic pump, you can't adjust the delivery volume or timing as the computer sets those values.

The difference min to max between the thin (B) head gasket and the thick (F) head gasket is 0.3mm. Applying V=PiR^2H you get a difference of 1.99 CC between the two gaskets. It doesn't seem like much.

The only proof is take an engine that was a known good runner with no smoke before the head was replaced using an F gasket, and then pull it apart and install the correct (B) gasket and see if the smoking issue clears up for the most part.

Waiting to find out...


~John

 

[roscoFJ73]

Have you tried the non electronic pump?

 

[PostmanNB]

The smoking issue is very common with these engines - being the 2LT-E version. The smoke is incomplete combustion of diesel, from what I can tell. It is there when cold, and not so bad when hot.
~John

This is not smoke, it is a smoke screen, grey/black smoke billowing out the back tail pipe. Picture those WWII with the battleship giving out smoke screen to avoid detection.

I have been checking forums trying to find an answer to this problems and the suggestion to check gasket thickness came up on this forum as well as down under and across the pond.

According to the manual you must measure the piston protrusion to determine gasket thickness

0.0268 - 0.0303 in. use B
0.0307 - 0.0343 in. use D
0.0316 - 0.0382 in. use F

My mechanic pulled off the head and check the protrusion and we came up with a protrusion of 0.026 so we should be using the B instead of the F that we were sent. I have one coming and should be able to see on Monday whether it will work.

 

[vinny tetravino]

so with mine the vac thing didnt do s***. but after i fixed my glow plug short it started good, but I still got lots of smoke and when it warmed up it sounded as though it was missing, so I had the injectors rebuilt, which also did nothing. I also know for a fact that I have in the proper gasket. after many measurements I used gasket D. I am still hunting for a cure and will keep you all posted

 

[PostmanNB]

The difference min to max between the thin (B) head gasket and the thick (F) head gasket is 0.3mm. Applying V=PiR^2H you get a difference of 1.99 CC between the two gaskets. It doesn't seem like much.

The only proof is take an engine that was a known good runner with no smoke before the head was replaced using an F gasket, and then pull it apart and install the correct (B) gasket and see if the smoking issue clears up for the most part.

Waiting to find out...


~John

They put the (B) gasket in and it still had the James Bond Smoke Screen. Any ideas? It seems to be over fueling but the manual does nt give much information according to my mech.